Flow responsive valve



Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOW RESPONSIVE VALVE William M. Weldon, Corbin, Ky.

Application Jur 30, 1948, Serial No. 41 ,622

2 Claims. 127-152) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gas fired domestic type water heaters of the so-called instantaneous kind wherein. when a hot water faucet in the service line is turned on, a water flow reponsive valve automatically operates a gas or fuel valve permitting the burner to come on and the water passing into the service line to be heated to the desired degree. I

The primary object of the invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similarly constructed water heaters in the category under advisement and to, in part, accomplish desired results through the medium of a' simple, efficient and practical flow controlled unit embodying a plungertype water valve, a needle-type spring closed fuel valve and an operating connection between the two so that they operate automatically in proper sequence to turn the burner on and oil with requisite precision.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon an economical casting characterized by interconnected valve bodies and complemental facil ities, the aforementioned operating connection being an accessible pivotally mounted lever carried by said casting and adjustably connected to coacting ends of the respective water and gas valve stems.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dual valve unit of the above stated type wherein all of the essential parts are availably accessible for repair and adjustment and wherein provision is made for a simple auxiliary valve unit which provides a readily adjustable constantly lighted pilot for the burner head.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrated drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view with parts in section and elevation showing a complete and operative water heater constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the principal automatic control dual valve unit; and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the burner head showing the turnable air venting and regulating collar.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals and corresponding lead lines indicative of the elements and parts, the numeral 5 designates a suitable casing having apertures 6 and I on opposite sides and an appropriate stack pipe 8. The water circulating and heating coil, copper tubing, of appropriate capacity is mounted in the upper portion of the casing and is denoted by the numeral 9. The

portion 33 of a valve controller lever 34.

stems l1 and 26.

2 coil is situated above the perforated gas burner head It] so that the flames from the latter im pinge on the coil in an obvious manner. appropriate fitting is provided at the left as indicated at II to accommodate the adjacent tube end and also to accommodate, by way of the screw threads [2 a service pipe (not shown).

This fitting is lined up with the aforementioned aperture '1. Cooperable with the opening 6 is the novel dual automatic valve and control unit I3. This comprises a unitary casting characterized by a horizontal cylindrical valve body M for intake and passage of water from a source (not shown). As shown in Figure 1 said body has an internal central partition [5 to accommodate the head Iii of the how responsive water rating valve, the latter including a stem l'l operable through a packing gland or stuffing box I8 threaded into the outer end of said cylinder. On one side and adjacent the stuffing box the cylinder is provided with an internally screw threaded neck I9 to accommodate the water supply pipe (not shown). The opposite end, to the left of the partition 15 provides an expansion chamber 20 and this is internally screw threaded to accommodate a screw plug 2| having an outstanding attaching flange 22 fastened, as at 23,, to the adjacent wall of the casing. This plug serves to accommodate the adjacent end portions of the coil means 9 and also serves as a satisfactory mount for the entire unit [3. The gas valve body is also of general cylindrical form and is smaller than the cylinder l4 and is denoted by the numeral 24 and has a side neck or connection 25 screw threaded to accommodate a gas supply pipe or line (not shown). This valve has an internal seat to accommodate the needle end of the fuel cutoff valve stem 26 as shown in Figure 1. The valve is closed by spring means 21, in an obvious manner. The right hand end of the stem is operable through a packing gland 28 mounted in the corresponding end portion of the valve body. At the opposite end is a suitable fitting or nut 29 which is screwed into a socket provided therefor in the valve body and which serves to carry the fuel supply tube or line 30. The two bodies are connected together by an integral web 3| provided with an outstanding lug 32 (see Figure 2) which lug is bifurcated permitting the furcations to serve as attaching lugs for the pivoted The latter is properly shaped to accommodate the positions of the respective parts and the end portions are notched to straddle the respective valve The valve stems are screw threaded to accommodate adjusting and lock nuts 35 and 36 as shown. A relatively small T- shaped fitting 31 (see Figure l) is fitted into a ported socket provided therefor in the gas valve body 24 and this carries a pilot light tube 38 cooperable with the burner head [0, as shown. There is a packing gland 39 here provided to accommodate an adjusting screw 40 to regulate the flow of gas to said pilot. There is still another valve body Al and this is screwed into the internally screw threaded end portion 92 on the projecting neck portion of the burner head. There is an adjustable bushing 43 providing a seat for a needle valve 44 and the needle valve is operable through an appropriate head 45, said needle valve being controlled by a knurled knob or grip 46. The gas supply tube 30 is connected with this valve fitting and the flow of gas to the burner head is regulated by the needle valve 44. The burner head has an air regulating port 41 and a hand accessible adjusting collar 48 therefor.

It is clear that water from a source is supplied through the water passing and how controlled valve, that the water circulates from said valve through heating coil 9 and is delivered from the latter to the service line (not shown) leading in turn to the hot water spigot or faucet. When the burner is on the flames from the head In impinge, within the confines of the casing 5, on the coil thus heating the water passing through the coil. Any suitable number of coils may be embodied in the unit 9, as is obvious. The distance between the flame and the coil will be regulated according to requirements.

With the device rigged up as shown in Figure 1, when a spigot (not shown) in the service line is turned on the water comes into the water flow responsive and volume rating valve by way of the inlet I9 and acts on the plunger head l forcing the latter from the position shown in Figure 1 to the left and causing the valve stem IT to travel in the same direction. This acts on the pivotally mounted controller lever 34 and the latter is rocked on the pivot 33. Rocking of the lever to the left at the upper end moves the lower end of the lever out and this in turn actuates the needle valve 2-6 and opens the orifice allowing gas, which comes in through the intake 25, to fiow through the pipe 39 and then into the valve unit which is connected to the burner head. Since the pilot 38 is constantly lighted, as soon as the gas is turned on, the burner goes on and the water circulating through the coil means is instantly, or substantially so, heated.

Water heaters of this general type, are, of course, old and therefore novelty is directed, primarily, to the dual valve controller i3 of Figure 2 and the pilot valve unit carried thereby.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in ac tual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is:

l. A controller unit for gas fired water heaters comprising single casting embodying a valve body provided with water intake and discharge connections, a headed plunger type valve member including a stern slidabie in said body and having one end extending outwardly beyond said body, a second valve body parallel to theiirst named invention, what is valve body and connected to same by an intervening web, said second valve body being for the passage of fuel and having a fuel supply connection and a valved fuel delivery outlet embodying a seat, a spring closed needle valve mounted in said second valve body and cooperable with said seat and including a stem extending to the exterior of the latter body in parallelism with the valve member stem, a lug carried by said web, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on said lug, one end of the lever being bifurcated and adjustably connected to the valve member stem and the other end of the lever being bifurcated and connected to the needle valve stem, said second valve body having a side orifice in communication with said fuel supply connection and including a screw threaded socket, and a T-valve unit connected with said socket, said T -valve unit having a manually adjustable needle valve and a fuel outlet adapted to be used as a pilot light. 2. In a water heater of the class shown and described, an automatic fuel controlling Water flow responsive dual valve unit comprising a water valve embodying a cylindrical open ended casing internally screw threaded at opposite ends and provided interiorly at a point intermediate its ends with a partition, said partition having a restricted valve orifice, a screw plug threaded into one end of the cylinder and provided with an outstanding attaching flange, said screw plug being adapted to support an end of a multiple coil water delivering and heating unit, a packing gland screwed into the opposite end of said cylinder, a plunger-type valve embodying a rod reciprocable in said packing gland and having one end projecting beyond the packing gland and screw-threaded, a valve head on the other end of said rod, said valve head being fitted slidably for movement in said orifice, said casing being provided on one side of said partition with water intake means, a fuel valve including a body spaced from and parallel to said casing and joined with said casing by an intervening web. said fuel valve body having an internal seat, a spring closed needle valve slidably mounted in said fuel valve body and normally engaging said seat and including a stem extending to the exterior of the body in parallelism with said rod and provided with screw threads, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said web and at right angles to said rod and stem and having its opposite ends forked and respectively embracing the rod and stem, and assembling and adjusting nuts on the screw-threaded ends of the rod and stem engaging the forked ends of said lever.

WILLIAM M. WELDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,326 Clarke June 15, 1897 972,717 Radke Oct. 11, 1910 994,563 Beauvais June 6, 1911 1,122,381 Gallagher Dec. 29, 1914 1,398,755 Toombs Nov. 29, 1921 1,485,616 Jones Mar. 4, 1924 1,798,536 Hofmann Mar. 31, 1931 2,229,926 Jereb Jan. 28, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 110,391 Australia 1940 171,655 Great Britain 1921 

